As the Evening Mail covers Spanish football as regularly as the Advertiser I am (as always) somewhat stumped by your point.

However to take your point on board, the language to suit was never going to be English so not sure of the point being made, I cannot comment on the durability of lasting in the Madrid as I have never been a player there, I will have to bow to your superior knowledge of that matter, embarrassed to say I just don't have the depth of facts you have on this topic?

Language barriers and not embracing local cultures has resulted in many failed moves but then you know that. You are pointless to argue with though, and citing the Fast Show as some sort of fact is a new low even by your standards. I think I’ll join the ‘ignore’ movement, apparently it improves the forum experience no end, soon you’ll just be left arguing the toss with yourself.

Language barriers and not embracing local cultures has resulted in many failed moves but then you know that. You are pointless to argue with though, and citing the Fast Show as some sort of fact is a new low even by your standards. I think I’ll join the ‘ignore’ movement, apparently it improves the forum experience no end, soon you’ll just be left arguing the toss with yourself.

Not really helped him self though has he? Made no effort to learn the language, doesn't integrate with his team mates and disagreed with the manager on playing style. Zidane shouldn't be airing his dirty laundry but Bale clearly thought he had the same stature as Renaldo and well he wasn't even close.

Not really helped him self though has he? Made no effort to learn the language, doesn't integrate with his team mates and disagreed with the manager on playing style. Zidane shouldn't be airing his dirty laundry but Bale clearly thought he had the same stature as Renaldo and well he wasn't even close.

I saw a documentary on Phillipe Coutinho shortly before he left Liverpool. It showed him at home with his wife having English lessons. Even after 4 years here, he could still barely speak English. He also seemed to stick in a clique with the other South American players in his free time, which is pretty understandable really. Did alright though didn’t he?

Champions league finals aside he’s never really lived up to the price tag though has he. Last season he was getting booed off (and on) was the pitch by the Madrid fans when he did get on the pitch. He’s been outed by team mates calling him ‘the golfer’ and saying he doesn’t have meals with team mates as they are too late for him.Fans are fickle, if they don’t feel a player is fitting in then they get on that players back and his on pitch performances haven’t been enough to gloss over what they feel is a lack of effort to embrace the culture.

As somebody that has seen more of the world than your average Joe, it's just not that easy. You can get involved, and you can even enjoy yourself, but at the end of the day you are just used to what you are used to. It's just what you are most comfortable with. One thing I like about Thailand is the large British expat community.

As somebody that has seen more of the world than your average Joe, it's just not that easy. You can get involved, and you can even enjoy yourself, but at the end of the day you are just used to what you are used to. It's just what you are most comfortable with. One thing I like about Thailand is the large British expat community.

Indeed - I was happy to take my leap because the language wasn't so much of a barrier, but I'd struggle in Spain because I don't do well with new languages and I'd feel like I should learn it if I wanted to live there. Even here though I find language and culture creates a barrier at times, and I find myself caught between making changes in how I speak or write as I am the guest, vs. trying to tell them they are all wrong! You only have to look at how the Uk tends to treat immigrants to understand it is probably tough to integrate - even learning the language to a basic level still marks you as an outsider.

None of that goes away, even after 35 years outside the UK. I remember the first night of the first year I spent in France, I never felt so alone as when the faint medium wave signal of the John Peel show finally faded out, and all my cultural references were left behind. That first year was hard, with the frustration of not being able to express myself properly, but gradually it comes, and now I couldn't live without two cultures. Being a foreigner is brilliant - you see the place you moved to with a fresh eye every day, and have a new perspective on the place you came from. If you've never lived anywhere different, how can you really compare? It's a lot of the tragedy of the US.

So basically in Planet Flasheart it's ok to live/work/visit "foreign " countries provided you can find an enclave of Brits you can get pissed with and eat fish and chips? In my previous employment I worked extensively abroad visiting over 35 countries. I have to say the best times were when I socialised with local people and experienced their culture.

So basically in Planet Flasheart it's ok to live/work/visit "foreign " countries provided you can find an enclave of Brits you can get pissed with and eat fish and chips? In my previous employment I worked extensively abroad visiting over 35 countries. I have to say the best times were when I socialised with local people and experienced their culture.